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In this Episode:
Series 1 Episode Guide:
Super Vets
It was all hands on deck when the decision was taken to move Whipsnade's only black rhino to Chester Zoo.
Quinto, a male black rhino, is fifteen years old and a resident of Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. To ensure that Quinto could continue to contribute to the conservation of this species, the decision was made by the breeding programme stud book keeper to move him to Chester Zoo to join a new breeding group.
Moving an animal as large and as sensitive as Quinto was a complicated project and one that required a substantial amount of planning, expertise and time. The vets first tried to accustom Quinto to a crate. When this approach wasn't successful, they decided to use a standing sedation technique.
Over the years, vets have discovered that if rhinos are partially sedated they become sensitive to objects that move in front of their faces and walk towards them. Wayne Boardman, Head Vet at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) the international scientific, conservation and educational charity which runs Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, set about darting Quinto with a dose of anaesthetic low enough to produce a standing sedation.
This procedure carries some risks: a rhino's skin is very tough and the dart may bounce off instead of penetrating it; the animal may injure itself whilst the darting takes place; alternatively too much anaesthetic can be administered. In the event, a third dart was needed because, despite enough gun pressure to dart an animal 20m away, the first two did not penetrate the skin.
With the rhino sedated, Wayne was able to approach Quinto and slowly wave a white flag in front of him. Quinto followed the flag and willingly entered the crate. There were some hairy moments, however, when Quinto followed the flag a little too far and put his head through the bars at the back of the crate! Thankfully, Quinto was able dislodge his head and shuffle himself back into the crate without assistance. Once Quinto was safely installed, the reversal drugs were administered and blood samples taken for health checks. The create was then made secure for Quinto's journey.
In addition to the reversal drugs, Quinto was also given a traqualiser which kept him calm throughout his transportation. He arrived safely at Chester Zoo, in a very relaxed state of mind, walked out of his crate and started eating hay!
This kind of co-operative activity occurs continually between zoos, scientists and conservationists in the field, it ensures that we are all working towards the united goal of conserving endangered species and their habitats.
ZSL has a black rhino conservation project in Kenya, which involves training wildlife rangers and monitoring all the remaining 450 or so black rhinos in the country to record population changes following the crash in the 1980s and 90s when 85% of the population was lost to hunters.
In the wild, black rhino numbers continue to fall due to poaching and habitat loss. There are now thought to be only 2,700 individuals left, so Quinto will play an important part in conserving this endangered species.
